1. Field of the Disclosure
The present disclosure relates to a wheelchair or a walker and, more particularly, to a wheelchair or a walker including a device for limiting the travel of the wheelchair or the walker. Even more particularly, the present disclosure relates to a device that allows freedom of travel of a wheelchair or a walker in a defined area, yet prevents the wheelchair or the walker from leaving the defined area.
2. Description of Related Art
Wheelchairs and walkers and the like are used by patients in nursing homes, rehabilitation centers, hospitals, and even at home. Some of these patients, in addition to suffering from physical ailments, may also suffer memory impairment and moments of disorientation due to the affects of a stroke or Alzheimer""s disease, for example. Such patients may not always be completely aware of their surroundings and, therefore, it is advantageous sometimes to be able to restrict their movement by limiting the travel of their wheelchair or walker.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,271,636 to Mohrman et al. shows a wheelchair travel restricting device which allows a patient to move a wheelchair, but restricts the distance the wheelchair may travel. The device includes first and second arms each having a generally U-shaped outer end adapter to engage a respective wheel of the wheelchair. The arms are connected together so that the device is held on the wheels, free of any fixed connection to the wheelchair. The device, as held on the wheels, stops travel of the wheelchair by hitting against the frame upon rotation of the wheels in a first direction and hitting against the floor upon rotation of the wheels in a second direction. The device shown, therefore, limits the travel of a wheelchair to a relatively short distance, i.e., less than a single rotation of the wheels.
Accordingly, there is still a need for a device for restricting the travel of a wheelchair or walker, yet that allows a patient some measure of freedom of movement in a clearly defined area. In particular, there is a need for a device for preventing a wheelchair or walker from leaving a defined area, but that allows freedom of travel of the wheelchair or the walker in the defined area.
The present disclosure, therefore, provides a device for preventing a wheelchair or a walker from passing through a doorway having a predetermined dimension, e.g., a predetermined height. The device includes a barrier and a coupling for securing the barrier to the wheelchair or the walker such that a portion of the barrier extends from the wheelchair or the walker. The barrier has a primary dimension sized such that a combined dimension, e.g., a combined height, of the wheelchair or the walker and the portion of the barrier extending from the wheelchair or walker is greater than the predetermined height of the doorway, such that the barrier prevents the wheelchair or the walker from passing through the doorway. The present disclosure, therefore, provides a device for preventing a wheelchair or a walker from passing through a doorway to keep a patient in a defined area and prevent the patient from entering another area where the patient might be endangered or endanger others.